'Did It Not Captivate?' The Reason a 48-Hour Fixture Was No Less a Proper Test Match.

In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink suit donned by the pop star. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a success.

You might not like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.

The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce literature or even five-day cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.

The weather, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.

If the format is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.

A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match

The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.

It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.

Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.

A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.

The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.

The close matches are particularly captivating due to the patience devoted in other matches.

Adjustment: The True Test

Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.

The contention in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.

Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.

Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective

Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

In a corner of the MCG, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.

There was optimism as the attack dominated, impetus when batters responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The venue has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.

That match was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – both are not the standard, yet value can be found in both.

Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.

"It's not the end of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."

Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The players protected him, bringing back the smile to his persona.

Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.

At the very least, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.

As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the field to start their own celebrations.

Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.